The Way It Goes
by JuliusRootLover
Summary: Julius Root is, at first glance, tough and cruel, seemingly a bully, but he's a father figure to Holly Short. But why does Root help Holly? Why does he even care? His complicated past may reveal why one of the only people he ever loved was Holly Short.


**Notes: I've wanted to write an Artemis Fowl Fan-Fiction for a long time, and this is my first one. It's about how I imagine the past life of my favorite character, Commander Julius Root, and also about showing why I believe he could be the way he is (I think you know what I mean). Nobody seems to know Root's birthday, so I made it up. I am also writing this on the hunch that Root is three hundred years old in Opal Deception (quite the middle-aged fairy), the birth year I chose being 1705. Hope you like it! **

**Disclaimer: I am not Eoin Colfer. I didn't write the Artemis Fowl books. I don't own any of this except for what I made up.  
**

**Chapter 1: Happy Hundredth**

_November 18th, 1805_

_The Alps, Southeastern France_

Julius walked through the cold night, his heavy breaths a mist before him. As the husky, muscular elf walked, his heavy feet sunk into the snow. LEPrecon had never been very high on the "Quality Mountain Patrol Equipment" scale, and even this healthy young Corporal was growing tired. He came up to another fairy, a patrol partner of his. "Hello, Private Shammock," he said upon approach, "Cold night."

"Sure is, Corporal Root. I'd give anything for one of those fancy heat-padded suits like my nephew's got."

Julius pulled a large fungus cigar out of his jacket and replied as he lit up. "Well, you know how it is." He said around the cigar, "All the good stuff is only made for civilians now, while we're up here using hand-me-downs that aren't even in production anymore." He leaned back against a tree and took a moment to blow smoke rings. "But," he finally said, "That's just the way it goes."

Suddenly his head turned as he heard a twig snap somewhere close. "Shields." He barked, stepping in front of the younger officer protectively. A huge wolf came out from between the trees, sniffing.

_No panic. It can't see me, _thought Root.

The wolf turned its head, and its eyes stopped…right where Root was standing.

_Invisible. Totally invisible._

It looked right into his eyes.

_Just a slight shimmer in the air._

It bared its teeth, a low growl emanating from its throat.

"I thought you told Commander Jasque you were running hot!" Shammock whispered urgently.

"I lied."

"Well, what now?"

"Now we try a calm approach. Show Big Boy here we mean no harm." He took a few steps back, dropped to one knee, and averted his eyes.

"And if that doesn't work?"

"If it doesn't work, we-"

It was at that precise millisecond that the wolf rudely interrupted by trying to bite Julius' face off.

"Run!" shouted Root.

The two fairies quickly stood and began running, the wolf just a hair's breadth behind them. As they ran, Julius' tactical senses began forming a plan. "Follow." He spat out between breaths, "My. Lead!" He then turned quickly, Shammock tight by him. The wolf, unprepared for the movement, stumbled and fell. The rest of Julius' plan formed in those few seconds. They couldn't fly out; the tree cover this far down the mountain was way too dense. But what about from a tree _top_? And on that, they began to climb the nearest tree.

The wolf, having caught up, chose just that moment to lunge for Root. Its outstretched paw hit his leg just below the knee, tearing through the fabric of his pants and catching in the flesh below. Julius let out a howl of pain as the claws dug in, the sudden addition of the wolf's weight smashing him against the side of the tree trunk. Holding to a branch with one hand, he drew the blaster at his hip and, setting it to stun, shot it right at the wolf's face. The animal yelped and fell to the ground.

The two fairies hurried the rest of their ascent. As Root climbed, he looked down, expecting to see the usual blue sparks closing his wound, but his leg ached and all he could see was blood and torn skin. _D' Arvit_, he thought. _No magic_. _Not a spark left. _Upon reaching the top of the tree, they jumped off, activated their wings, and began flying back to the nearest LEP docking station. There was an uncomfortable silence for several moments. Then Shammock said, "Oh, Happy hundredth birthday, by the way." A few seconds later he added, "Jasque is gonna be so pissed."


End file.
